The title of this website comes from the design motto of the great architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, who through his minimalist design principles focused on the building frame, creating a transparent exterior skin and eliminated interior walls to create vast, open spaces that would allow for the seamless integration of exterior settings with interior spaces. This blog is an attempt to do the same with my life.

I walked around campus and see the new students walking in procession through the NU Arch - a new tradition that was recently started. I'm walking from checking on a room reservation, and I'm going against the flow of students.

I hear a group of voices yell, "HEY ANDY!"

To my suprise, ten of our student leaders with BIG smiles on their faces are standing holding a big InterVarsity Banner for every new student to see. The faces are straight out of the song, Jesus Loves Me - "Red, brown, yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight."

Diversity in our ministry is no longer an idea - it's a reality. And it is precious.

It's that time of year when the extrovert in me comes out in full force and meeting students and asking questions of how students make decisions to either let their faith of childhood grow up to an adult faith or as adults make first time decisions to follow Jesus.

I just spent the morning teaching returning students how to share their faith in a way that honors their not-yet-Christian friends, and then spending a few hours connecting with new students on campus.

For the next few weeks, I'll be casting vision of what our ministry could look like if all of our 250 returning students got to see one of their friends come to Christ this year. Wow.

Would you pray for us? It's this time of year where we have more opportunity than ever to connect with new students.